Carpet-sweepe



(No Model.)

V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. A. DOLPH.

CARPET SWBEPER. v 5 5 Patented Mar. 10, 1896 WITN'EESES: INYEIN'TUR:

J1? Atturney ANDREW BERAIMMPHUTO-LHHO WASHINGTON DC LUTHER A. DOLPH, OFBENNINGTON, VERMONT.

CARPET-SWEEPEI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,935,dated March 10, 1896.

Application filed April 2, 1896. Serial No- 54=4=,151. (No model.)

To all. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER A. DOLPH, a citizen of the United States,residing at the village of North Bennington, in the county of Benningtonand State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Carpet-Sweepers; and I hereby declare that the subjoined description,in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings, constitutes aspecification thereof and of the best manner of constructing and usingthe same.

My invention relates to improved means for running the casein closecontact with the carpet, to provisions for aifording verticalaccommodating adjustment of the wheel-frame and case to each other andto uneven laces over which the sweeper has to pass, to devices foralternately elevating or depressing the nose of the dust-pan accordingas the motion of the rotary brush is reversed, and to pro visions forscreening the dust from the circulating current of air produced by therevolution of the brush as it passes from the machine.

1 will first describe the construction of my apparatus and its mode ofoperation, after which the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

My invention is divisible into two parts. One of these is thewheel-frame and the other is the case. These are made in one sense independent of each other. In use the case slides along on the surface ofthe carpet so as to shut in all the dust, and the wheel-frame is free toaccommodate itself to any uneven places in the surface over which it hasto pass or can ride over slight obstacles without lifting the case so asto allow the escape of dust.

The drawings fully illustrate the invention in which- Figure-1 shows aplan View of my sweeper with a part of its cover removed so as to exposeits interior. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a viewof a transverse sectional elevation of the machine, taken on the line aaof Fig. 1. Fig. at is a partial elevation of the front corner of thesweeper. Figs. 5 and 6 show two positions of the apronshifter. Fig. 7 isa view of the inside of one end of the case, the machinery being allremoved eXcept one of the dust-pans. This view also shows a modificationof the dustpan supports. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one end of oneof the dust-aprons.

The wheel-frame consists of the two axles 11 11, which are journaled inthe side bars 2 2, as seen in Fig. 1, and are provided at each end witha wheel 1 and a gear 3. To the middle of each of the side bars an arm ofthe propelling-handle 5 is pivoted, whereby the sweeper may bepropelled. On each side of the frame a semicircular yielding spring elisprovided which has a bend 31 at or near its top into which the handle 5looks when it is desired to leave the handle standing upright. Thus thesweeper-truck consists of the two pairs of wheels, their axles, the sidebars and propelling-handle, the supporting-spring 4: being an accessoryto the other parts.

The other parts are attached to or carried in the case 22 as follows:The case is of the ordinary form except that it is provided with adust-screen 011 its top, which consists of a rectangular elevatedopening which is covered with a cap 24 through which are severalopenings 25. Between the under side of the cap and the top of theopening a sheet or two of cotton-batting or other similar material iscarried, as seen in Fig. 3. This batting permits the air to pass freelythrough it, but excludes the dust. The sweeper is arranged to be run ineither direction and so is provided with two dust-pans 19 19, one ofwhich is shown in cross-section in Fig. 7. These pans run on slides 34or are fitted with ledges 35, which run in grooves 20, as seen in Fig.3. Each pan is protected by a cord or other suitable soft butfer-guardwhich serves to prevent injury to furniture by running the sweeperagainst it. Inside the case and directly in front of each dust-pan asliding inclined plane 13 is placed, the ends of which slide he thegrooves 17 provided therefor in the side walls of the case. At or nearthe middle of thesetgrooves each one is perforated, as at 18, fortl1erecepti0n of a pintle-stud 14, Fig. 8, which projects from each endof the aprons 1.3. These elongated slots 18 permit the aprons to slideup and down, so as to come in contact with the carpet or be elevatedabove it.

are alternated, so as to raise one when the other A is lowered by meansof a swinging sector 15,

The relative positions of theseaprons carried on the truck-axles ll 11.

one of which is pivoted at 16 011 each side of the case. The lower limbof this sector is designed to bear upon the surface of the carpet withsuflicient frictional force as when the sweeper is propelled along thecarpet it will be thrown one way or the other, according to which waythe machine is run. At each lower corner of this sector a bearing forthe pint-le-stud 14 is provided in which said studs are journaled, asseen in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thus when the sweeper is propelled in inone direction the apron which lies in front or in the path of theadvancing brush will be drawn down so that its bottom edge will lie inclose contact with the surface of the carpet, in which position therotation of the brush will most effectually carry the dirt and litter upthe apron and drive them over into the dust pan or drawer. Reversing thedirection of movement of the machine will reverse the relative positionsof the aprons.

The sweeping device consists of a cylindrical brush having its bristlesset in helical courses with intervals between them, as is wellunderstood. It is journaled in bearings 37 in the case in which it canfreely revolve. A circular recess 38 concentric with one of the saidbearings is formed in the inner face of the case on each side thereof toreceive the end of the brush-shaft and allow the same to turn. Thesebrush-journals project through the sides of the case sufficiently totake on the pinion-gears 7, one of which is preferably provided at eachside of the case. These pinions gear into wheels 3 3 3 3 which are Thesegears transmit motion from the axles to the brush. The axles passthrough vertically-elongated slots 12 12, Fig. 7, of the case, so thatfree vertical play between the two may be had. Thus if the wheels settledown into the pile of a 'soft plush or velvet carpet and the under edgesof the case ride on the surface of the plush, the slots 12 will permitaccommodation of the elevation of the one to that of the other. This isa desirable feature, as it lets the case down onto the surface of thecarpet at all times, thus preventing the escape of dust from beneath thesweeper. The edges of the truck-wheels may be fitted in any way tosecure reliable frictional contact with the surface of the floor orcarpet. In this instance the drawings show a rubber band for thatpurpose, but other means will serve.

The dust-drawers are secured in their places in the sweeper by a smallclip or button 36 attached to the frame,as seen in Fig. 2. henever thedrawers become loaded, by unfastening them they are easily emptied. Inthis instance I have shown a brush in which the bristles are set inhelical rows so as to leave quite an interval between the rows. I11these intervals I have hung a number of small heaters or weights, whichare connected with the shaft of the brush by short links, so that theycan swing freely. The length of these is so regulated that they willjust strike the surface of the carpet as the brush is rapidly revolved.The office of these heaters is to raise the dust, so that when it risesinto the current of air produced by the revolving brush it will bedriven over into the dust-pans or carried up and arrested by the screenor filter in the top of the case. These heaters add much to theefficiency of the machine.

I therefore claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent,the following:

1. The combination of a sweeper-case with apron-reversing sectorspivoted thereto and adapted to drag on the surface to be swept, guidesin the case, aprons connected to the sectors and adapted to slide in oron the guides and dust-receptacles supported within the case,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of inclined aprons with a sweeper-case in the ends ofwhich they are adapted to slide into and out of position for use atwill, and pivoted devices, one for each apron attached independently tothe said case and arranged to be operated automatically by contact withthe surface to be swept,

for moving the said apron into such position and dust-pans arranged ateach end of the case in front of the apron, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a sweeper-case having vertical slots formedtherein, a truck having the brush and driving-wheels mounted in it and ahandle attached to the said truck, the shafts of the driving -wheelspassing through the said slots in order that the case and the truck maybe vertically movable independently of each other, substantially as setforth.

In witness whereof I have hereto subscribed my name, at NorthBennington, Vermont, this 27th day of March, 1895.

LUTHER A. DOLPH.

In presence of-- FRANKLIN Scorr, EMILY SCOTT.

